Thoughts about music
Music makes me both feel happy and, sometimes, a bit unhappy. Some people say that music gives us power and refreshes us. I believe in the power which music has, but sometimes I also doubt it. One of my hobbies is listening to music, and I like to listen to music, especially at night before I go to sleep, even rock music, although I usually listen to Japanese pop music. By listening to it I can relax and sleep well. But recently I have come to think about the power of music: Does music really have the power to refresh me, encourage me and calm me down? Why are musicians continuing to create music? Sometimes I think music is harsh as well as warm-hearted.
I can be encouraged by some music; some musicians sing songs which encourage the listeners. Some examples are: “Do your best!”, “Stand up!”, “You can do it!”, and “You’re my only one (this phrase is very popular now, because SMAP, a big Japanese entertainer group, sings such a song). When I’m in low spirits, I can lighten up with such music.
Apart from these encouraging songs, my favorite music, which is not necessarily encouraging, cheers me up as well. Listening to my favorite music, generally band music, works for me.
Musicians also reveal their thoughts and feelings in their songs. “I love you” or “I’m here” is very popular. But “Save our earth”, “I’m running on my winding road” and even criticism of Japanese politics is often voiced by some musicians, especially by Japanese rock musicians. Their hearts and minds are passionately conveyed to me through their art. Touched by their fiery hearts and minds, I am encouraged. So it’s not only the melodies but also the lyrics that make me happy.
But sometimes I think that music is nothing but an illusion. I do not know the real characters of the musicians, and the musicians themselves do not even know about my existence. Musicians are blind, and they have no specific objectives, so if they sing “Fight!” for me and everyone else, they do not know who I am and why I am troubled. Practically, their message is pretty abstract; they cannot give me any advice on what I should do. If I go to sleep contently by listening to music, I just get up in the morning and nothing changes. They are just singing songs on their CDs. They have no relationship with me.
It may be a natural thing, but sometimes when I hear such encouraging songs, I am fairy disappointed in the possibility of music and become suspicious of its power. Everyone can say “Fight”, and musicians have the privilege of revealing their feelings, but I feel as if they are abusing the privilege. So sometimes I doubt if I am I really stimulated by music.
But I can rely on music, I can believe in music itself. If I find a good piece of music, I continue to listen to it a hundred times and more. In fact I’m still listening to one CD I bought about five years ago. And although I have heard it so many times, I’m still impressed whenever I hear it.
I often go to my favorite bands’ live performances. Of course some people, including my friends (especially my senior Chie-san) like to go too. I think the reason why people who like to go to concerts, despite the narrow halls, the heat, the stifling crowds and the dirty atmosphere is that people can identify with the bands by raising their hands and dancing along. People have a good time even in small and crowded concert halls.
All in all, I like to listen to music. I can feel the musicians’ strong will in their songs. I do not know their real character, but I can feel their passion for music, and this passion is the same with everyone who loves music; it seems that no reasons are needed for enjoying it: I want to listen to music according to my instincts, not my head, and music is nothing but music. But it has much ability to impress many people and I am somebody who is influenced by music. In the end, the conclusion is that I like music very much. So today I also went to university while listening to my favorite music on the crowded train, and I will probably turn off the light in my bedroom while listening to music.
Comments
Ah, I so should have known that Dylan is a deadhead![1]
But I agree, Yuko-san — this is a passionate piece of writing. What I don’t quite understand, though, is your suspicion of musicians, which seems to be based on their inablilty to build a personal relationship with you.
Look at it this way: for musicians to put food on their tables and a roof over their heads, they either need to have a small audience that pays them a lot of money, or they need to have a big audience, each member of which pays a little. In the former case, you’d be talking about kings and queens, emperors and emperesses: they were rich and could afford to employ artists under a patronage system. Pop and rock musicians, however, depend on a mass market. While the patronage system allowed for personal relationships, the mass market does not: you can’t reach out and touch the stars.
Then again, many pop and rock musicians aren’t stars and many of them are easy to talk with.
Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of music from the Magnatune label, which has some truly amazing artists.
Who are your favourite bands?
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[1] A “deadhead” is an ardent fan of the Grateful Dead, the biggest, most successful and longest-running psychedelic rock band ever. Deadheads also tend to believe that the band’s late leader, Jerry Garcia, could walk on water and heal the blind.
graham :: May 27, 2004
Nice essay. I wish I could do one even 1% as well in Japanese!
I think the ‘music industry’ now is in a difficult situation. On one hand, it’s a human constant, it’s something we all have in us which is universal. On the other hand, a lot of it now is manufactured and packaged, with a lot of the ‘soul’ surgically extracted to be appealing to the most consumers.
It’s hard to find good bands in the shops right now. Most radio is a joke now - playing records they’re paid to from computer generated playlists.
Is the internet the savior? Maybe. The RIAA blames 20% drop in *their member’s* CD sales on digital piracy. Interestingly, at the same time, independant record labels (the few, but growing numbers) report huge increases in sales. Our appetite for different music is outstripping the speed at which narrow corporations can provide it.
On a cultural side, I’ve always found J-Pop’s encouraging music an interesting facet - why the need to be constantly told to try harder, be happy, and ‘fight’?
Getting away from the business side for a moment, about a year ago, I bought an iPod, and I have to say that it totally changed my idea about not just mobile music, but also how i listen to it. As a knock on, it also changed how I listened to music at home, though iTunes on my Mac. No more being limited to 74 minutes of CD or MD, but access, almost instantly to any of my nearly 3000 song collection. I don’t want to know how many MDs that would take. I can make a playlist, and if I get into one type of song, I can just listen to the who album. I can listen to a random selection of any Queen song ever written, or any Red Hot Chili Peppers song. It’s great. As Marshall McLuhan said, the medium can be the message (or the massage, another interpretation).
Thank you for all those opinions! And I want an iPOD too!
Before I posted this essay, I thought it was rather egotistic.
I think many musicians create music for food or rent. But I don’t think underground musicians (like Kenichi Asai, once in Blankey Jet City and now in JUDE, maybe Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, a great band that has been dissolved, and other less-known muscians) create music for that reason. In addition, some bands release their CDs on indie labels (I think MONGOL 800 is the most popular). They take pride in their music. I like this music, because they have their world view.
But what I doubt is the bands that create encouraging songs. I think they have their own sense of value, but sometimes they just don’t fill up my heart (this is also the point I feel egotistic about). But anyway, what I want to say is that Japanese popular music is good.
graham :: June 2, 2004
I’m not saying J-pop is bad. I myself own quite a few CDs by the likes of B’z, DragonAsh and Utada Hikaru, but I think many people get into music for the fame - people like Namie Amuro and many idols - they’re manufactured and marketed whether that person has any talent or not. I’m very disillusioned with the global music industry, it’s very formulaic.
If a song appeals to a person, then that’s great, but I really don’t believe more than 10% of *professional* musicians do it for anything other than money and fame. Perosnally, I’d much rather go to a live house, or local band gig and check out people who still do it because they enjoy it.
I like music, but I am not so familiar with the music industry. And I’m unlearned in foreign music, so my opinion may be prejudiced, but I agree with you.
I don’t think the songs some idols sing are good. And I like to go to live acts, too, because I can enjoy the musicians’ presence there. But I don’t want my favorite musicians to become popular (is this selfish?).
As for Dragon Ash, they became popular as Japanese hiphop pioneers (which maybe they weren’t). But after they became big stars they had some troubles as well as much success. I got such information through some magazines, and I thought they have heart.
But some idols, they are always smiling, which doesn’t appeal to me …
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Yuko, this is an interesting essay. I’m curious, though, about what you mean by “…musicians have the privilege of revealing their feelings…”?
On another note, I also enjoy listening to music as I go to school. Right now, I have music by the Grateful Dead in my MD player. It always puts me in a good mood, so I get to begin each day at school with a smile (even if I ended the previous day with a frown).